1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of data and content distribution networks. More specifically, the present invention relates in one exemplary aspect to methods and apparatus for automated creation of targeted or focused content extractions and/or compilations (e.g., highlight reel creation).
2. Description of Related Technology
The manual aggregation of highlights or other video shorts associated with various events or content elements (e.g., sports events, news, politics, reality television, etc.) into a series for quick review or montage is well known in the art. Such a manually composed series can be used to summarize the events of note from a past period of time. These series are common in sports broadcasts such as “Sportscenter®” on ESPN®, or for instance in “year in review” type pieces offered by news organizations at the end of a year, decade, etc. Typically, these collections of video shorts are used to inform viewers of events occurring earlier in the day, previous day, previous year, etc.
In the particular context of professional football, NFL (National Football League) RedZone offers game-day highlights and touchdowns on Sunday afternoons. Specifically, NFL RedZone promises to show every touchdown from every game, as well as other highlights. In addition, the service also presents viewers with a live broadcast whenever a team reaches the “red zone” (inside the defender's 20 yard line) of the opposing team. However, this service only applies to football played in the NFL, and the only definable metric the service relies upon is the distance to the goal.
Further, services like NFL Sunday Ticket™ offer wide ranging access to a specific set of content (i.e., NFL football games being played on any given Sunday). However, such services fail to identify which of the available content may be of particular interest to a user. Thus, a user is given access to more content that can be consumed (multiple aired games may be played simultaneously) without guidance as to the optimal content to view. Again, this system only applies to football games played in the NFL.
News services also create their own compilations or montages, such as to fit within a specified time slot in a news broadcast. Again, such compilations are manually created, and based on selection and placement and editing by one or more humans. However, there is an inherent delay associated with human identification of such exciting clips. Thus, moments of excitement are often missed by content consumers with interest in experiencing such content live or in near-real-time.
Further, it is impractical for an individual content provider to maintain the staffing necessary to monitor all incoming content from all of its content sources at all times for excitement. In addition, even more staff would be needed to tailor collections or series of these clips to the interests and viewing desires of individual subscribers.
Thus, methods and architectures for automated means of identifying content of interest are needed to overcome these impracticalities.